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The adventures of Paradox Girl: Blessed with an unlimited ability to travel through time, cursed with a complete lack of common sense!
About this project
With the ability to teleport through space and time with unlimited range and perfect accuracy, to change history and create paradoxes without the universe imploding or conspiring to stop her, what could possibly get in Paradox Girl's way - other than herself?
Living in an eternal, consequence-free 'now' has left her with no foresight and terrible impulse control. She bickers endlessly with her past and future selves, creates problems she'll have to deal with later, and has been fighting herself over the same box of banana flavoured Waffos since 1986.
She's changed her past so often and so carelessly that she no longer has a past, a single origin, or even a real name. She's gained her powers in a hundred different ways, through magic, alien ancestry, mutations, weird science. Whoever she once was, now she's simply Paradox Girl, hero of Cityopolis!
Our first campaign earlier this year shattered all of our expectations, reaching almost 400% funding. We had a whale of a time getting PG out into the world, and we can’t wait to do it again. This time, we’re hoping to make it even bigger and better than before.
Though they are being released separately, the first 6 issues of Paradox Girl were always intended to be a set - the first cycle of Paradox Girl's story. Back in February, our first Kickstarter was focused on launching issues 1 and 2, with the 3rd issue added as a stretch goal. This time around, we decided to announce all 3 of our new issues up front to complete the cycle.
We want to say a big thank you to all of our backers from the first Kickstarter - without you, we wouldn’t be here! Your contributions have helped launch a small passion project into what it is today, and we hope to continue making great comics for all of you. And to everybody who helped spread the word on social media and by supporting the Thunderclap - thank you too! Your efforts brought Paradox Girl to a wider audience in a way that we could never have done without you.
We’re now more confident with the Kickstarter platform, having been through the process of fulfillment once already.
By backing Paradox Girl, you're making a lot of wonderful things happen. First, you're getting an original, smartly written, beautifully illustrated, hilarious and mind bending comic. Second, you're paving the way for more comics like this one, declaring to the world that this is just the sort of thing we need to see more of! Finally, you're helping make a dream come true for people who absolutely love the medium and want to see it reach its full potential.
Also, we believe that diversity in the comics industry will make it better, and we hope you do too. By supporting this Kickstarter, you're also supporting the growing number of women in the comics industry.
We have the first three issues printed and available, but now we need to get the next three printed! We also have plans for some awesome backer rewards and stretch goals, including the Paradox Girl game, Time Game! (Or is it Game Time?)
"PG deals with [time travel] in the most unique way I have seen." - Baicunn Press
"Cayti Elle Bourquin has crafted a very light-hearted, quirky and fun story" - Pipedream Comics
"Pretty girls, flashy action and lots of energy on every page." - Coverless Reviews
"I’ve been laughing out loud, unraveling every time tangle, and am eagerly waiting for more." - Ace Of Geeks
"PG comes across as entertaining, living life with little care but you can’t help but think that there are complexities." - Crimzee
"This same wit and easy cool characterises the majority of the book, with an effortless likability factor from the start" - The Burning Blogger of Bedlam
Cayti Bourquin is an amazing writer who's great at everything she does except writing bios and being humble. Obsessed with stories and storytelling, Cayti is eager to move into being a full-time writer. Cayti currently resides in the frozen reaches of Montana in the United States, but considers the internet her true home. She likes rain, and also spiders.
Yishan Li is a professional UK/Chinese manga artist currently living in China, and until recently in Edinburgh, UK. You can see a list of her projects at www.liyishan.com.
Yishan Li has been drawing since 1998 and has been published internationally including China, USA, France and the UK. She has worked for DC and Darkhorse and is the artist for the Buffy graphic novels coming out next year.
Georgina Bensley is the woman behind Hanako Games. For more than ten years, Hanako Games has been creating independent, narrative-driven video games. Notable titles include the deadly rulership game Long Live The Queen, the wizard school sim Magical Diary, and the detective management game Black Closet. For more information about other projects we are developing or sponsoring, please visit the Hanako Games website.
Matt Hosking, the business manager for the Paradox Girl comics and awesome friend of Cayti, is helping us make our dreams of publishing a reality! Georgina's partner Peter Bensley is the editor of the series, and hopes to be able to bring more Paradox Girl comics to you!
Stickers of MINUET WALTZ, AUNT AGONIST and AGENT DOUBLE O'CLOCK added to every sticker sheet!
We'll release a four-page, full colour preview of a new series from the writer of Paradox Girl!
Every tier that gains a shirt as part of the pledge rewards now contains two shirts instead! (Doesn't apply to shirts bought as add-ons, sadly.)
We'll reveal a six-page, full colour preview of a new series by Cayti Bourquin! We can't wait to tell you about it!
Paradox Girl's crimefighting companion as you've never seen him before! Every pledge at the $5 level or above gets a digital copy!
The Annotated Paradox Girl. PDF of all versions with marginal notes by the author revealing story choices, easter eggs, and the significance of different elements and events within the comics. Also probably some bad puns as well.
Once unlocked, everyone getting digital issues 4-6 as part of their pledge also gets the annotated PDF version. Anyone getting digital issues of 1-3 also gets the annotated PDF for those issues, as does everyone who got issues 1-3 in the first Kickstarter!
We'll send Axiom Man #1 to the printers, and every backer who's getting physical shipping already will get a free copy!
Here's are the rewards for each tier - most tiers also get your name either on the paradoxgirl.com site or in the credits, and any digital stretch goals we unlock. Black tiers are unlimited, pink ones are limited, and contain signed copies or other things that can't be mass produced!
Sticker Sheet
A whole US Letter sized sheet packed with high-quality PG-themed vinyl stickers courtesy of Stickermule! It's still a WIP, so we'll be revealing more of the image as the campaign goes on!
Signed Issues & Bookplates
As you can see above, our artist and writer are on opposite sides of the world, so getting a thousand books to each of them in turn for signing was not only expensive, but produced delays in getting people their comics. To speed things up we've decided (at the suggestion of a helpful backer) to use signed bookplates this time around.
This way we'll be able to have all the bookplates signed while the comics are still being printed, so signed copies won't have to ship any later than unsigned ones.
Here's an early version of the design we'll be using to give you an idea of what signed copies will look like. We've designed the plate to cover the UPC barcode while obstructing as little of the cover art as possible. It also ensures the signatures are readable no matter how dark the cover art is.
Digital Signed Issue
We wanted something special for our digital backers, so if you back at the Super Digital level, Cayti will scribble a dedicated, personalised message all over the PDF issue of your choice! She'll mention you or anyone else you might want it dedicated to by name.
Here's what that might look like (sans the name because this isn't for anyone in particular!):
Game Time
(Or is it Time Game?)
We've teamed up with Geoffrey Greer of Past Go Games, creators of Sans Allies, to bring you this Paradox Girl card game to play with your friends. It's in the early stages of development now but we'll have more detail for you soon!
Right now we can tell you that it takes place on a grid representing the hours in a single day of Paradox Girl's existence; that you have a choice of playing Paradox Girl, Paradox Girl, Paradox Girl, or Paradox Girl; and that it involves PGs fighting over who gets to influence particular events.
Update: You can read more about the game and download a free print & play prototype version from the Past Go site here.
Postcards from Paradox Girl
At the Wish You Were Now tier and above, Paradox Girl will send you a postcard from anywhere in time! Just pick a decade, month, year, century or epoch and you'll get an authentic postcard from PG.
We can't guarantee that it will be delivered on a rainy night by a confused man from Western Union, but we can't rule it out either.
T-Shirts
We've bringing back our WAFFO and NOTIME designs from last time, and we'll be adding some new designs for you to choose from too! Watch this space!
We've unlocked our first new design! 1920s Flapper PG!
Special Credits
Last time we wanted to give backers a chance to get their name in big type in the front of the comic with the creators, but rather than "Executive Director" or something similarly bland we made them all goofy pop-culture references. Last time it was time travellers (naturally!) This time the theme is decades. So if you want to be a pulp hero, a glam rock star or the archetypal 80s businesswoman, check out the special credit tiers!
(We're also up for substituting particular titles for a different reference to the same decade!)
Sketch Covers
In the Art History tier you can get a sketch cover by Yishan, on one issue of your choice, in addition to the normal covers. These aren't quick doodles, either - each is an adorable, distinctive little portrait. As each is a unique piece of art, they'll be sent separately via recorded delivery as soon as they're ready.
Custom Comics
At our very highest tier, you get to make a four-page mini comic with Cayti and Yishan! You get your comic added to the digital backer rewards for the campaign, you get a copy of any printed book or comic we ever include your comic in, and you get a license letting you do just about anything you want with it.
Most non-limited rewards will be available as add-ons for any tier with physical shipping. Shipping may vary with the number of add-ons ordered.
Risks and challenges
We have successfully fulfilled our first Kickstarter and are now familiar with the process. All three new comics are fully written and illustrated at this point. For printing and fulfilment we have reliable partners in Printninja, Backerkit and Shipnaked.
The risks involved are common to most projects of this type: Illness or accident befalling someone vital to the project; delays in printing or shipping.
We are committed to communicating with our backers and ensuring that everyone gets what they've paid for. If we make a mistake with your rewards we'll make it good. If there are delays we will inform you of them and keep you informed. We take our responsibilities seriously, and we have the support of our parent company, Hanako Games, to help us deal with any unforseen eventualities.
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